We Could Really Use a Window in Here
by honeycomet
Summary: [Kid/Maka] Of all the things Death the Kid expected to happen in his life, getting stuffed into a very small closet with his crush was likely not one of them.


**We Could Really Use a Window in Here**

**Author's Note:** I would've posted this sooner, but writer's block is a terrible, terrible thing. Hey, it's Kid/Maka! My favourite.

**Disclaimer:** Soul Eater isn't mine. KiMa would be canon if it was. (I'm such a sucker.)

* * *

It was so cramped in the closet – small and tight and choking, and the air was slightly stale, but at least there was a light. Kid wasn't a fan of small, dark spaces, but the absence of the "dark" in the equation here made the situation a little more bearable.

But only a little, because he wasn't the only one in the closet here: Maka Albarn was also inside, stuffed in along with him. And, fortunately or unfortunately – he couldn't decide – she was his crush of the past month.

How could he _not_ be in love with her? She was kind, understanding, courageous, smart, attentive and followed the rules; she read books and hung out at the library, like he did; she was athletic and strong and she looked so pretty and oh, she was perfectly _symmetrical_. She was perfection in two words and he loved every little bit of her.

Even so, he had really been too shy to tell her his feelings. He wasn't quite all that good with people and relationships to start with – to this day he still wondered how he'd made his friends in the first place, or gotten the Thompson sisters over to his side – and he had a suspicion that she preferred Soul over him, her faithful weapon and partner. That fact itched at him at the best of times and ate at him at the worst.

And yet, here he was, for whatever reason: stuffed in a very small closet with Maka Albarn. And a book, but did the book count? Yes, of course it counted, Maka loved books! He loved books too, but she was a total bookworm. He really liked that about her.

He was desperately trying his best not to get flustered over the current situation. Or, wait, wasn't that the point of them getting stuffed into a closet together?

"Well, I suppose we're not getting out anytime soon," Maka says. "I've tried knocking and hitting and booking it but the door won't budge!" She sighs and slumps against the wall, book in hand.

"Couldn't you try kicking it?" Kid asks.

Maka surveys the small closet – it's so small that it's impossible to stand in, only sit in, and even then their legs are all tangled together because there's very little or comfortable room to even _sit_ properly. Talk about cramped. Who was the nut who designed this closet, again? At least the shelving was symmetrical, even if there was nothing but dust on the wood.

"No…" she sighs. "There's simply no room for me to get at the doors properly! Oh, this sucks." Maka shakes her book in a angry-like way, "Man, when I get out there I am going to _kill_ those two!"

Oh, she must mean Soul and Black Star. They were the ones who locked them in the closet – Maka had misplaced the book she had, and Kid was helping her look for it when Soul said that Black Star had put it in a closet, and _oh the closet had symmetrical shelves? Kinda funny really._ So he'd led the way to the closet and then the two boys had shoved them in and, when they were recovering from the shock, closed the doors and locked them tightly. At least the two had had the decency to turn the light on for them beforehand.

"How long are they going to keep us in here?" Maka whines, "I hope they don't keep us any longer than ten or twenty minutes… I'm not sure if I could handle being in this cramped little box for long!"

Kid silently nods his agreement. He's a bit torn on what to do or say to her – comfort her? Reassure her? Tell her his feelings? Ask her about her book? Help plot to kill Soul and Black Star? Go crazy? – and he's getting rather flustered and it's getting kind of warm in here.

Maka huffs, trying to move her legs into a more comfortable position; he pulls his legs back as much as he can to give her room, and wraps his arms around them and rests his head on his knees. Kid sighs – the situation seems bleak for him. Maka has her book to entertain her, she doesn't need him, does she? He has no idea what to say to her, or what to do… oh no, why did he have to be so shy and… _closeted_ about the whole situation that he didn't go seek out advice? He could've read a book, or talked to Liz about it… something that could've prepared him for this moment, even if he couldn't see it coming. He had the perfect opportunity and he had absolutely no idea how to go about it!

Dammit!

But, he hides all of his frustration inside. Having a freak out in the closet with Maka was not a good idea at all, so instead he sighs and buries his head in his knees. He was too shy to even talk to her at the moment, but he'd just stuff it up and be awkward and awful anyway! He'd make such a mess of himself that she'd be weirded out, and he'd wish he'd never said a thing because he ruined everything because he was so awkward!

And besides… she would prefer Soul over him, wouldn't she? Soul was her loyal and faithful weapon and partner, they were so close they were practically siblings and they had the potential to go even further than that. They knew each other's secrets and could read each other like books. They even lived together! How could he get in the way of all that?

Soul was a cool guy, he was close to Maka in ways no one else could or would ever be. Compared to him Kid was just a boring, un-fun guy with awful, crippling OCD. It was obvious who she preferred.

He could cry.

But he was startled by a voice calling out to him: "Kid?"

It was Maka! Maka was talking to him! Kid quickly faces upwards. Maka is holding her book in front of her but she is looking at him, she is talking to him!

"Are you okay?" she asks, obviously concerned. She was concerned! About him!

"Uh, I'm fine," Kid replies. No, no, no! Not fine, absolutely not fine! What is he saying?!

Maka raises her eyebrows a little at that – small, slender, symmetrical ash-brown eyebrows... – "Are you, really? You look sad."

Does he look sad? He's lost for words at the moment, her face is taking him prisoner; her sweet lovely face with her eyes that beautiful shade of forest green, rosy cheeks and her lovely ash-blonde hair in their usual symmetrical twintails, which looks so soft and silky. What would it be like to run his hand through her hair when it was down? Or touch her face, on her cheek, and feel her lovely smooth skin… if she would let him do that, would she let him kiss her? On the cheek, maybe, but maybe she would let him kiss her on her lips…

"Kid?" she asks again, snapping him back to reality. "You zoned out."

"Oh – oh, sorry," he apologizes, feeling awkward and awful and _how could you zone out on her, dammit?!_

"Hmm, well…" she says, "I was going to read my book, but honestly, I'd feel awful if you were left out, really! You don't have anything to do, do you, Kid?"

"Uh… no," he says. She's worried about him, concerned for him, she said she'd feel awful if she just left him with nothing to do and no one to talk to her! Oh, she's so kind and selfless and she's perfect, so perfect…

Maka smiles, closing her book. "Well, that's okay, then! We can talk to eachother about things. You don't mind, do you?"

"N – no, not at all," Kid says, feeling himself smile. She wants to talk to him _she wants to talk to me, of course I don't mind I would absolutely love to hear you talk Maka, of course you can talk to me I'll listen to you about anything, even if it's asymmetrical!_

She giggles a bit and sets her book down on the floor of the closet next to her, and hearing her cute giggle makes him flush a bit. _She sounds so cute…_

"What do you want to talk about?" Maka starts, but then tilts her head to the side a bit, "No, wait, hmm… how was your day, Kid?" she asks.

"Uh… well… my day was…" he starts. How _was_ his day? He can't remember, really, all he can think of is Maka, perfect Maka…

"Kid?" she asks, slightly concerned at his apparent loss for words. It is not often that he is lost for words – he's usually very articulate and straight-forward, to the point of being incredibly blunt at times, but now the whole awkwardness of the situation and extremely close proximity to his crush is _really_ getting to him, and he's losing all his coherence.

"Uhm… well…" he stutters. Oh no, why that of _all_ the times he _really_ needs to be keeping himself together, his cool and his ability to speak properly, that he is completely losing it?! Why was it so difficult to keep control of himself?

He jumps when Maka rests a hand on his shoulder.

"Is something wrong, Kid?" she asks, a worried look on her face now. Kid desperately fumbles for words, _no he is not alright_ but it's not like he has an infectous disease or whatever, he's just overwhelmed by the situation and the fact that Maka is so very _near_ him, she is _touching_ him –

"Are you sick or something?" Maka says, "You don't look very well… and your face is very pink."

Is a pink face a sign of sickness? Wasn't that a pale face? Not that Kid's face isn't pale enough already. But Kid doesn't get sick, he does get the occasional cough or cold but those only last a day or so, he doesn't get sick because he's a Grim Reaper, Grim Reapers don't get sick, it's a _fact_.

He briefly wonders if Maka remembers that. Does she even _know_? No, no, surely she would know, she's _smart_ and she reads lots of books, so _surely_ she's read up on Grim Reapers at _some_ point.

Kid shivers and digs his nails into his knees in anticipation when Maka's hand touches his cheek. "Mm, your face is warm… you're not sick, are you?" she says, and he shakes his head briefly, because his mouth has frozen up and he can't speak now, why _now_ of all times?!

"Yeah, of course, you don't get sick, do you…" Maka mumbles, likely mostly to herself. Her eyebrows are now furrowed in some expression, maybe annoyance or irritation… oh no, she's not _angry_ at him, is she? But surely not, he hasn't done a thing, has he?

Then her expression softens and she smiles. "_Aww_, Kid, are you _flustered_?" she asks suddenly, chuckling even.

"Wh – what?" he finds himself saying, obviously startled. "I – I, uhm, well – "

"Of _course_ you are, silly," she says, laughing, poking his cheek and he's instantly reminded of Patty by her behaviour. "Your cheeks are pink and you're _stuttering_ and you're being so _awkward!_ There's no other explanation!"

Kid groans exasperately and drops his head into his knees again. "This is _so embarrassing_…" he mumbles to himself, silently a little glad his mouth is working properly again.

"Aww," Maka cooes, resting her hand in his hair, "You're so cute, Kid."

He's certain he's turned pinker at that, and digs his head deeper into his knees. This was so, so, _so_ embarrassing, and Soul and Black Star would laugh at him for _ages_ if they'd saw what was going on. They'd never let him live it down. Oh god, what if they were listening in on them _right now?!_ Could this situation possibly get anymore humiliating than it already _was?_

He was turning all hot and flustered and tingly, was this an airtight closet? Why didn't it have a window or something? God, he could _really_ use a window in here at this moment, some fresh, cool air would be a real relief on him. The air in the closet was stale and awful, anyway.

He feels Maka take her hand away from his hair and winces slightly as she does so, he liked that feeling of her hand snug in his tidy black hair. She had felt nice and warm, a different kind of warmth from the one he was feeling now, and it had been a _nice_ warmth and not an incredibly embarrassing, strangling one.

Then he feels a hand on his knee and Maka's warm breath on his ear as she asks him, "Kid, do you like me?"

"Well, I – yes!" he stammers, before he can get a chance to think first, peeking one gold eye over his knee timidly. Maka giggles and smiles at him, and then asks, quieter this time: "Well, do you – _like me_-like me?"

The reaction is immediate – Kid squeaks in an undignified way and jumps away, startled. He feels his face hot up and presses his face into his hands, feeling absolutely humiliated. Somehow, in his turmoil, he manages to stutter out a small "Yes."

"Aww, Kid," Maka says, pulling his arms away from his face. "It's okay! You don't need to be so embarrassed!"

"But… what…?" Kid stutters, flustered, looking away and turning red.

Maka smiles at him, turning pink herself. "See… it's okay, Kid, I… like you-like you too," she says, crawling up close to the surprised Reaper and hugging him tightly. "So it's mutual, isn't it?"

"Oh – oh – Maka…" Kid says. He feels so warm and fuzzy that's she so close, she's hugging him, _she like-likes him too – it's like a dream come true, what was I worrying about all that time? I should've just told her!_

He wraps his slim arms around her back and hugs her, returning the gesture. They hug a long time – Kid wishes it could never end, and is slightly sad when Maka pulls away, but he's so _happy_ and satisfied regardless that he drops it quickly.

Maka is still very close to him – she huddles next to him, legs draped to her side and feet touching the closet doors. Her chin is resting on his shoulder. Kid relaxes his position slightly so he slumps back against the wall and his legs aren't huddled up to his body so much. He is very aware of how close their faces are.

"So…" Maka says, curling one of her arms down his to hold his hand, "How long have you liked me for?"

"Uhm… I guess… a month," Kid says, nervously accepting her hand, "What about you?"

"About the same time, actually," Maka replies. "I… well. I like you, Kid… you're not like the others, you know?" She pauses to rest her head on his shoulder, blushing rather pink. "Like… Soul's my weapon, and my partner, but he's like a brother to me… and he's not really my type, anyway. He's so lazy and grouchy and _annoying_ at times! And he calls me stuff. You know."

She sighs exasperatedly, before continuing, "And Black Star's… well, you know, right? He's so out there. I… really like you a lot better, Kid, because… well. It's… just, well… I, we, just go together really well! I mean, like, I really feel like I can, like, _keep up_ with you. Not like with those guys." She sighs again. "Oh, I don't know how to say it!"

"It's, it's okay," he says, trying to reassure her, "Do you have to? I mean… I can, sort of, understand what you're trying to say… but, I think you're amazing." He takes his hand to touch her cheek gingerly, "Like… you're symmetrical. Perfectly symmetrical."

Maka giggles. "That's so sweet of you, Kid."

"Ah, oh… Maka…?" he asks, taking his hand away. "I… uhm, well…"

"Yeah? What is it?" Maka asks, curious. Kid blushes furiously and looks away as he fumbles for the words.

"Well, I… could I… kiss you? Please?" he asks, almost inaudibly.

"Oh…" Maka murmurs, blushing as much as he is. "I – I mean, of course you can!" she stammers, trying to put up a big smile.

Kid looks back again at her, watching as Maka pulled herself up so the two were eye level with each other. Kid put one of his hands up to the back of Maka's neck, where her ash-blonde hair met her skin, and then he leans in and kisses her. He is hesitant, at first, so he only does it lightly, but then Maka presses in and makes it nice and firm.

All Kid could really think about was how nice and warm and soft her lips felt. It was just as good as he could've imagined it – no, no, it was better, far, _far_ better. The reality way overdid his imagination. He loved every little second of it, and this time he _was_ sad when they had to pull away, but it was well, well worth it.

"That – was so nice, thank you," Maka breaths, moving to hug him again and nuzzle his neck. Kid shifts and embraces her warmly, and in that moment he felt like he had never been happier.

-x-x-x-

"So… would you… go out with me?" Maka asks him a while later, after they've talked quite a bit – mostly stuttering confessions – and kissed some more, too.

"Are you _kidding?!_" Kid exclaims, "Of _course_ I'd go out with you! I – I mean – !"

"Oh, it's okay!" Maka says, chuckling and waving a hand. "You don't need to explain. Really."

"Mmm, okay," Kid agrees, reaching a hand up to her face. Maka playfully bats his hand away and kisses him again.

-x-x-x-

"How _long_ have we been in here?" Kid complains, "I wish we had a clock. I left my watch on the table. How long are we gonna be _in_ here?"

"I dunno," Maka shrugs, half-heartedly flicking through her book. "Hopefully not for a day. I don't think they'd keep us in here for any longer than a few _hours_ anyway."

"What I'm wondering, though, is why hasn't someone like, Tsubaki gone looking for us? Surely one of the others would've noticed we were missing?"

"Or maybe they're all in on it," Maka suggests.

"That's actually kind of creepy, you know?" Kid points out.

Maka shrugs again. "I dunno, but what I _do_ know is this book is creepier."

Kid peeks over her shoulder to look at her book, its cover a mish-mash of reds and black and a corner torn off slightly. Briefly he wondered why he hadn't asked her about it earlier. "Hey, what's your book about about?"

"Ooh!" Maka says, turning around and holding it up, "Well, see, it's about – "

She talked a very long time, and Kid listened intently to every word.

-x-x-x-

"Have you kissed anyone else before?" Maka asks.

"I kissed Soul and Chrona in dares before, that's about it," Kid replies.

Maka gives a mischevious smirk and props her head on one elbow. "Were they good? _Hmm?_"

"Er… not really," Kid admits, a little unnerved by Maka's suggestive look. "Chrona was very shy and Soul was _brutal_ and really uncomfortable. He used tongue! I hate tongues."

"Huh. Really?" Maka asks, slightly curious.

"I just don't like it. It's kind of disgusting to me. Not very clean, you know?"

"I can get that. It's pretty weird."

"So, Maka, what about you, have you kissed anyone before?" Kid asks.

"I kissed Tsubaki once, and got dared to kiss Black Star once." She makes a face at this last. "Never. _Again_."

Kid laughs. "I guess he wasn't a very good kisser, was he?" he asks, to which Maka shakes her head. "What was with the time with Tsubaki?"

"Oh, that," Maka says, "We had a little bit of a date, I guess. Just trying things out, y'know? We didn't go very far, but it was nice."

"Ah," Kid says, nodding. "Well, was she as good of a kisser as me?" he says, smirking.

Maka laughs and bats his shoulder. "You dork! I'd say about even."

"Even, huh?" Kid replies, chuckling and rubbing his shoulder. "I can live with that."

-x-x-x-

They are kissing quite closely when there's a _click_ sound and the closet doors suddenly open, and the two jump away from each other like they've been burnt. It takes Kid half a second later to process things and take his hand off Maka's breast. (How did it get _there?_)

The unannounced visitors are, of course, Black Star and Soul, with Tsubaki hanging to the side a bit.

"Haha, _dude!_" Black Star says to Soul, "I _told_ you they'd hook up! You owe me ten bucks!"

"Aw, dammit," Soul mutters, head drooping slightly.

"Are you guys alright?!" Tsubaki asks, slightly frantic, pushing the boys aside to help pull Maka and then Kid out of the closet.

"We're fine," Maka says, straightening her back, "Just slightly stiff."

"The dust on my shirt isn't symmetrical!" Kid complains, desperately trying to brush it all off. Soul rolls his eyes at this.

"Well, it's good to know you're okay," Tsubaki says, then turns to Black Star and Soul, the latter of which is forking over his cash to the former. "That wasn't very nice of you to stuff them in the closet like that!"

"Hey hey, no harm, no foul," Soul says, "And it was only for an hour."

"And hey, they hooked up!" Black Star says, pointing rather dramatically at the two. "That's gotta be a plus, right, huh? Mission accomplished, _suckers!_"

"This was your plan all along?!" Maka exclaims, gripping her book tightly.

"That was the plan, to get you hooked up," Soul said drily, "And you did. Mission _accomplished_." He held out a hand to Black Star, who high-fived it in return.

"You guys, it's not nice to toy with your friends' lives like that!" Tsubaki frets, standing on her tip toes and towering over her meister, who just rolled his eyes.

"I thought you were in to that kind of stuff," Black Star said, "And do they look like they care?"

"Well," Maka starts, stepping forward, "Even if we did, uh, hook up, because of you two, that doesn't mean that stuffing us in the closet was okay!"

"Being stuffed in there sucked," Kid says, "My back hurts."

"Yeah? Whatcha gonna do about it, Maka?" Black Star challenged, pointing a finger.

"Dude, she has a _book!_" Soul exclaims, already backing away.

"Oh, wait, she does?" Black Star says, blinking. Soul, exasperated, points to the book in Maka's hand, who holds it up clearly.

A beat of silence follows.

"_Run for it!_" Black Star yells, and the two take off like the wind, Black Star yelling that "he hasn't even transcended God yet, he's too young to die" and Soul yelling "I'm too cool to die by book concussion!"

"I'll get them later," Maka says, irritated.

"Oh, guys, I'm _so_ sorry they pulled that prank on you," Tsubaki says, waving her hands rather frantically. "I'll have to make sure they don't do that in the future!"

"It's okay, it's by us now," Kid says. Tsubaki smiles and nods.

"Well, I'll go see they haven't broken anything," Tsubaki says, waving before she leaves, in the direction of the incohorent yelling that still goes on – followed only seconds later by what could only be Liz and Ragnorok yelling "Shut up!", Patty laughing, and Chrona complaining.

Maka sighs. "Gosh, what a day."

"Indeed," Kid replies. Then he taps her on the shoulder. "Hey, Maka."

"Yes, Kid?" she asks, turning completely to face him.

"Can I get another kiss?" he asks, a blush forming on his cheeks again. "It – would make it eight kisses, see, so…"

Maka smiles. "Oh, of _course_, Kid," she says, and then she kisses him once more.

* * *

Comments and feedback are greatly appreciated!


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